Dhaka: Jahanara Alam, who used to be a regular member of the Bangladeshi women’s cricket team till last year, has dropped a bombshell.
The 32-year-old pacer has gone public to expose former women’s selector and men’s team pacer Manjurul Islam over sexual harassment.
Jahanara, who has taken a mental health break and is not a part of the current Bangladesh women’s team, opened about having allegedly received indecent proposals from the national team management during the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup. Jahanara even accused that Manjurul became a roadblock in Jahanara’s career after turning down his indecent proposals.
“I faced (indecent proposal) several times, not just once,” Jahanara claimed in an explosive interview.
On why she is coming out after four years, Jahanara explained, “When we are involved with the team, we cannot speak out about many things, even if we want to. When it comes to your bread and butter, when you are known by a few people, you cannot say or protest many things even if you want to.”
Jahanara said she tried taking some senior officials in the Bangladesh board into confidence, but women’s committee head Nadel Chowdhury failed to stop the harassment, and Bangladesh board chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury ignored her complaints on multiple occasions.
“I don’t know why they misbehaved with me. In 2021, Towhid bhai approached me through Babu bhai (coordinator)…. I tried hard to ignore and focus on cricket. I tactfully avoided their proposals, but Manju (Manjurul) bhai began humiliating and insulting me from the very next day,” Jahanara said.
“Towhid bhai never spoke to me directly, he sent Babu bhai instead. Babu bhai had told me to ‘look after Towhid sir,’ but I replied, ‘He’s the in-charge, what is there for me to look after?’ I deliberately pretended not to understand the proposal,” Jahanara continued.
Jahanara claimed that Manjurul had a habit of getting too close to the women players, many of whom started avoiding him.
“During our pre-camp, while I was bowling, he came up and placed his hand on my shoulder. He had a habit of pulling girls close, pressing them to his chest, and talking near their ears. We used to avoid him – even during handshakes after matches, we would extend our hands from a distance so he couldn’t pull us in. Among ourselves, we’d joke nervously, ‘He’s coming, he’ll hug us again’.”
She went on to narrate a specific incident when Manjurul came too close to her and asked about her period cycle.
“Once he came near me, held my hand, put his arm on my shoulder, leaned close to my ear, and asked, ‘How many days has your period been?’ He already had information since physios track players’ menstrual cycles for health reasons as per ICC guidelines. I don’t know why a manager or selector needed that information. When I said, ‘Five days,’ he replied, ‘Five days? It should’ve ended yesterday. When your period is over, tell me – you have to look after my side too.’ I just looked at him and said, ‘Sorry bhaiya, I didn’t understand’.”
“After about a year and a half, I submitted an observation letter to the Board CEO, not a complaint, explaining everything but there was no solution.
“I’m sharing this so that other girls are aware and can protect themselves.”
Jahanara broke down and sobbed as she said she would never pardon all these men, even though one of them is no more.
“For someone who has played 135 international matches and also led Bangladesh why do I have to take a mental health break?” Jahanara said.
Manjurul denied Jahanara’s allegations, Cricbuzz reported.
“What can I say apart from terming it as baseless. You can ask other cricketers whether I was good or bad,” Manjurul said.
Babu said Jahanara made up the entire story. “It’s unfortunate she is dragging a dead man. I just want her to come up with proof instead of making baseless accusations,” Babu said.
The Bangladesh board has taken note of Jahanara’s allegations.
“The allegations are quite serious, and so we have to sit and decide what should be our next course of action, and if required, we will certainly have an investigation,” BCB vice-chairman Shakhawat Hossain said.